Well, Here We Go Again

Yep, when you haven't a clue...raise the sin taxes.

Our well-paid public servants have determined that there's no problem paying for their crap. Just raise cigarette taxes. This time it's the feds, but our Fla legislature is panting over the same right now.

WASHINGTON — However they satisfy their nicotine cravings, tobacco users are facing a big hit as the single largest federal tobacco tax increase ever takes effect Wednesday.

Tobacco companies and public health advocates, longtime foes in the nicotine battles, are trying to turn the situation to their advantage. The major cigarette makers raised prices a couple of weeks ago, partly to offset any drop in profits once the per-pack tax climbs from 39 cents to $1.01.

Wow, this is a win-win according to certain geniuses who seem never to have read a history book.

Medical groups see a tax hike right in the middle of a recession, as a great incentive to help persuade smokers to quit.

But some of us live in the real world.

Some policy analysts have questioned the wisdom of boosting tobacco taxes to finance health care for children. They argue that the fate of such a broad program should not depend on revenues derived from a minority of the adult population, many of whom have low incomes and are hooked on a habit. The tobacco industry is also warning that the steep increase will lead to tax evasion through old-fashioned smuggling or by Internet purchase from abroad.

Oh, but what the hell, right? After all, we've elected a messiah...so all rules of human nature have been repealed.

I'm in my third decade of non-smoking, but I still get pissed at the arrogance of lifestyle nazis.

UPDATE:
Gee...maybe this is relevant?

A Cutler Bay man was arraigned Thursday for allegedly smuggling 13.3 million cigarettes to Europe and avoiding more than $4 million in customs duties, according to federal officials.

Roman Vidal, 57, was charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and smuggling goods out of the United States, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Of course this guy was smuggling smokes out of the US. If he put his mind to it, he might have thought of smuggling smokes into the US. I'm sure some of his fellow smugglers may find it profitable now.